Diarrhea ICD-10-CM Codes

Discover the common ICD-10 codes for diarrhea, including clinical details, synonyms, billability, and FAQs.

By Priya Singh on Jul 16, 2025.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

What ICD-10 codes are used for diarrhea?

Here's a list of the three most common ICD codes used for diarrhea that you can use for medical billing and coding:

R19.7 - Diarrhea, unspecified: This code can be used if the patient is confirmed to have diarrhea, but the specific type is unknown.
K59.1 - Functional diarrhea: This code can be used if the patient is confirmed to have functional diarrhea, meaning that 75% or more of their stools are loose or watery, and there is no associated pain.
K58.0 - Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea: This code can be used when a patient has irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.
P78.3 - Noninfective neonatal diarrhea: This can be used if a neonate (newborn) has noninfective diarrhea.
A07.9 - Protozoal intestinal disease, unspecified: This can be used if a patient has protozoal diarrhea due to a protozoal intestinal disease.

Another code is F45.8 - Other somatoform disorders can be used when the patient has psychogenic diarrhea.

All of the previously mentioned ICD-10 codes are billable.

Frequent bowel movements with loose and watery stools characterize diarrhea. There are two types: acute and chronic. Acute diarrhea typically lasts 1 to 2 days, while chronic diarrhea persists for longer, exceeding 3 to 4 weeks.
The causes of diarrhea vary depending on its type. Acute diarrhea can be triggered by viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections, food intolerances, intestinal diseases, medications (as a side effect), or surgery. On the other hand, chronic diarrhea may be attributed to conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
In addition to watery stools and increased bowel movements, patients may experience nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and dehydration as common symptoms.
Dehydration is a high-risk concern for patients with diarrhea. Diagnosing the condition involves a physical examination and urine, blood, and stool tests. Imaging tests, colonoscopy, and sigmoidoscopy may also be performed.
The treatment approach focuses on resolving dehydration and addressing the underlying cause through medications and other appropriate therapies.

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